Mumto4

Hi,

I have lived in Oz for the last 6.5 years and thought that I would list my 5 likes and dislikes about living here. If anyone else would like to do the same it may be helpful to people still waiting to come.

Some are quite trivial and were the first 5 things that came to head, so here goes - in no particular order:

Likes:

1. Living in a house more than twice the size we would be able to afford in the UK with hubby working full time and me only working 10 hours a week. (I live in regional NSW so don't know how this compares with living in the cities etc)?

2. The Weather

3. No TV licence to pay (unless you have Austar or equivalent)

4. Supermarkets pack your groceries for you.

5. People on the whole are a friendly bunch.

Dislikes:

1. Paying to see the doctor and dentist (especially the children and also paying for children's prescriptions.

2. Obsession with sport and wanting to be the best - nothing wrong with it I suppose but drives me nuts.

3. Having to pay for a new drivers licence either every 1 year, 3 years or 5 years.

4. Mosquito's

5. Australains who have never set foot out of Oz who criticise other countries (mainly the UK).

Perthbound

Thanks for that info, the only thing we are concerned about is Mosquito's as they really seem to like me for some reason. Does this affect your "outdoor lifestyle" and are you forced to cover up even though ti may be too hot to do so. We are off to Perth in a few months. Are you bothered by flys, many people have told me they can be a pain. We're not really that bothered about all the other stuff.

Thanks

Mumto4

Hi,

Flys can be a pain more so on cloudy days but on hot sunny days not too bad but every house will have fly screens on all windows and doors to keep them out the house.

Mozzie's on the other hand like water. So especially after rain you will get more. Or if you leave any stagnant water around the place for more than a few days they will breed in that. People with ponds and pools or live near a river like us tend to get more also. They don't affect my husband who has lived here all his life but they just love to eat me. On dusk I don't tend to go out and I make sure the kids are all inside. If we go out we spray ourselves with mozzie spray. Some people do cover up in loose long sleeved tops and trousers but I don't.

Good luck - hope you enjoy your new life in Perth?

Perthbound

Thanks again. This should confirm your thoughts about living in Aus:

Top 5 things that are bad about the Uk, off the top of my head, I am sure there are others far worse.

1. Weather
2. Press, havent got a single good thing to say about anything and only report the bad news.
3. Our sports people have no belief in their own abiltiy and consequently are beaten before they go onto the field, unless its darts or snooker.
4. Goods and food are much more expensive in the Uk than Europe and obviously Australia.
5. Television is absolutely pathetic (not that we have ever watched it much, but we have a four month old, so are in more than we used to be)

Dont get me started on the Government and non existent public transport etc.

tinaj

Thanks for your comments.

It is good to hear that most of your dislikes are trivial( I don't mean to be patronising) In other words they don't sound too serious.
I Can relate to your likes, I am sure many will be about the same. for us.

I hope my likes will be:

1. Weather;
2. Huge house and no mortgage;
3. Be able to swim in pool or beach when I want to;
4. Not have to work full-time;
5. Improved out door lifestyle.

I look forward to seeing if these come true!

heading downunder 2002

Just had to reply to these two dislikes of the UK.

4. Goods and food in Oz are the same or more expensive than in the UK and wages are less!!!

5. Your in for a shock in Oz then, their telly is absolutely terrible, the UK TV beats it hands down everytime, most nights there isn't one interesting program to watch, in fact some nights we seem
to watch the news on each channel because at least something may happen!!!

And all I can say about the Goverment, well thank god I don't have to vote wouldn't know who I would pick!!

denhim

the reason theres no t.v licence is because theres a hundred adverts on every 10 minutes. but i dont watch much t.v so that doesnt bother me. infact i cant wait till i get away from the celebrity dominating world the u.k seems to be. all the magazines you see in the shops are all about Eastender, Coronation Street, Emerdale etc. or which footballer is shagging models or getting into drunken brawls. even the national tabloids are more like Hello magazine. personaly i couldnt give 2 hoots about any of them.

Perthbound

My brothers in Ulladulla and he pays way less for food and electrical items than we do for comparable stuff.

jkpake

Well everyone seems more or less happy, i can't wait to go and hopefully in about 1 year and half i shall be closer to getting there. Just need to save my pennies.

I am big on sport so i will love it there, not a fan of spiders or other creepy crawlies.

I don't watch too much t.v apart from movies, docs or sports. If i am not working i am either out with friends or at the gym.


Can anyone tell me what the gyms are like over there? the one i am at now is brilliant i just hope OZ have some.

Carrianne

Hi jkpake,


Your comments could have come straight from me.
yes they do have great fitness facilities, they have the "Fitness First Gyms" over there I went in one while over there and they are great.


Carrianne

Mumto4

I have to agree that food is definitely cheaper than the UK (especially meat) but it does seem to be going up each time I go shopping. Electrical items may be a little more expensive but they are now considerably more cheaper than before the GST was brought in.

I have to agree with the TV - too many American shows! Also you do get a lot of adds (3 times in one half hour show). A program that lasts an hour in the UK will last about 1.20 here. That's why I watch the ABC - it's mainly got UK programmes or SBS.

Jamesy

I have to agree with the TV - too many American shows! Also you do get a lot of adds (3 times in one half hour show). A program that lasts an hour in the UK will last about 1.20 here. That's why I watch the ABC - it's mainly got UK programmes or SBS. [/QUOTE]

Hi

Not too worried about TV, hopefully we will be out and about in the evenings enjoying the more favourable climate! How do you find the schools, and life with kids?

Nicki

denhim

i went to a gym in the suburb of warwick in Perth. and i found they are pretty much the same as the u.k. but it depends what your into. this one was more of a free weights gym which i`m into with little c.v equipment. and next door would you believe was a tanning salon...

Mumto4

How do you find the schools, and life with kids?

Nicki [/QUOTE]




Hi Nicki,

I can't really offer advice on schools yet as my first daughter is only starting this coming Friday - very sad first off to school only 3 more to go!!

They don't tend to start school here till after their 5th birthday and they must be in school before their 6th birthday. Therefore with my son who's brithday is in May - he will be 5 and 8 months when he starts. He could go at 4 and 8 months but he could be with kids in Kindy who will be coming up to 6 and that is a big difference. He currently attends an excellent preschool and if they say they think he is ready next year, then I'll have a rethink.

Our kids are only going to a public school but they do have two different classes of private schools. The catholic system is a cheap alternative, paying up to about $2000/year and then of course their are the elite schools - not sure how much they are.

Life with the kids is great - they always want to be outside which is good. We bought a Aussie cricket set for my son (4 in May) and he never stops playing with it. It must be in the Aussie's blood or something - but then again he is still half a pom! Family activities we do include picnics and BBQ's. We have yet again given up another year of going to the beach unfortunately as we have twins aged 6 months and I don't like taking babies to the beach. Next year we may start going again as the kids love it. They older two can't wait for nanna and grandad to come in 5 weeks so they can take them to the beach.

We also go to family fun parks which are never as busy as the one's in the UK so you have a much better time (not pushing your way through the crowds).

Good luck

Shiralee

Thought I'd contribute with my five likes/dislikes:

Likes

1. Mild Spring and Autumn

2. Friendly optimism of people

3. Aspects of lifestyle that come with warmer weather - fresh produce, healthy eating etc.

4. Space and Light

5. Sorry, finding it quite hard to come up with a fifth in my present state of mind!

Dislikes

1. Too hot Summer and rainy Winter

2. Lack of character, soulless suburban sprawls breeding mediocrity

3. Naivete caused by total isolation

4. TV, too many adverts and American drivel, without a doubt the UK still produces the best television.

5. Lack of community spirit due to transient nature of the country
(although this could be a fault of city-living, can't comment on country Australia).

6. Desolate, dry and dusty landscape totally bereft of any landmark to interest the traveller (sorry to sneak in a sixth but I'm on a roll....!)